"Corruption Alleged in Philippine Flood Control Projects - Senate Hearing Underway"

"Corruption Alleged in Philippine Flood Control Projects - Senate Hearing Underway"​

Luckily, people not involved in this case have proven 'not guilty'.

The following are the parties involved in the corruption scandal of the Philippines' flood control projects as disclosed in the Senate hearings:

Government Officials

• Cabinet Members: Sonny Angara (Secretary of Education, former Senator), Lucas Bersamin (former Executive Secretary), Manuel Bonoan (former Secretary of Public Works and Highways), Terence Calatrava (former Presidential Assistant for Visayas), Amenah Pangandaman (Secretary of Budget and Management).

• Undersecretaries and Other Presidential Appointees: Roberto Bernardo (former Undersecretary of Public Works and Highways), Adrian Carlos Bersamin (Undersecretary of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office), Maria Catalina Cabral (Undersecretary of Public Works and Highways), Jojo Cadiz (Undersecretary of Justice), Maynard Ngu (former Special Envoy to China), Trygve Olaivar (former Undersecretary of Education).

• DPWH Officials: Eduarte Virgilio (Regional Director of Region 5), Ramon Arriola III (Director of Unified Project Management Offices), Henry Alcantara (District Engineer of Bulacan 1st), Aristotle Ramos (District Engineer of Metro Manila 1st), Manny Bulusan (District Engineer of North Manila DEO), Edgargo Pingol (District Engineer of Bulacan Sub-DEO), Michael Rosaria (District Engineer of Quezon 2nd DEO).

• Senators: Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, *Chiz Escudero, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe (former Senator), Mark Villar.

• Congressmen: Roman Romulo (Pasig), Jojo Ang (Uswag Ilonggo Party List), Patrick Michael Vargas (Quezon City), Juan Carlos "Arjo" Atayde (Quezon City), Nicanor Briones (Agap Party List), Marcy Teodoro (Marikina), Florida Robes (San Jose del Monte, Bulacan), Eleandro Jesus Madrona (Romblon), Benjamin Agarao Jr., Florencio Noel (An-Waray Party List), Reynante Arrogancia (Quezon), Marvin Rillo (Quezon City), Leody Tarriela, Teodoro Haresco (Aklan), Antonieta Eudela (Zamboanga Sibugay), Dean Asistio (Caloocan), Marivic Co-Pilar (Quezon City).

• Others: Zaldy Co, Carlo Aguilar (cousin of Mark Villar), Mario Lipana (COA Commissioner).

Contractors and Related Personnel

• Contractors Named for Undercapitalization: QM Builders (Allan Quirante, owner), Centerways Construction and Development Corp., Triple 8 Construction & Supply Inc., Wawao Builders, MG Samidan Construction.

• Discaya Family and Related Companies: Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya II and Sarah Discaya (husband and wife), their son Gerrard William Francisco Discaya. Their companies include Alpha & Omega General Contractor & Development Corporation, St. Timothy Construction Corporation, etc..

• Other Contractors: L.R. Tiqui Builders Inc., AMO Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp., Sunwest Inc., Legacy Construction Corporation, EGB Construction Corporation, Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corporation, Road Edge Trading & Development Services.

Whistleblowers

• Brice Hernandez (former DPWH assistant district engineer).

• Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya II and Sarah Discaya (contractors who offered to be state witnesses).

• Roberto Bernardo (former DPWH undersecretary).

Corruption Called: Flood Controlling Project in the Philippines - Senate Hearing Case

The Philippines’ efforts to address chronic flooding have been marred by widespread corruption allegations, with Senate hearings in 2025 exposing systemic irregularities in flood control projects worth billions of pesos. What was meant to protect communities from devastating deluges has instead become a case study in how graft can undermine public infrastructure and erode trust in government.

Key Allegations Uncovered

Undercapitalized Contractors Winning Multi-Billion Projects

At the forefront of the scandal are findings from Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian of the Senate blue ribbon committee, who revealed that 5 out of 15 top firms awarded flood control contracts between 2022 and 2025 had paid-up capital far below required standards. QM Builders, for example, with only PHP 1.2 million in capital, secured PHP 7.3 billion in projects—despite Securities and Exchange Commission records showing zero income from 2015 to 2024. The company has claimed the records refer to a separate business segment.

Overpricing and Kickback Schemes

Former DPWH district engineer Brice Hernandez testified that all public works projects in Bulacan’s first district since 2019 were inflated by 25% to 30% to fund kickbacks to politicians and officials. Contractor Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya II and his wife Sarah further alleged that several congressmen and DPWH personnel solicited bribes ranging from 10% to 25% of contract values, threatening to halt project implementation if demands were not met. Projects were built to original designs but billed at inflated rates, with excess funds diverted illegally.

Ghost and Misplaced Projects

The Commission on Audit (COA) identified numerous irregularities, including ghost projects with falsified documents and forged signatures. A PHP 92.88 million flood control structure in Bulacan was approved for a site where a pre-existing wall already stood, while a PHP 55.73 million river wall project was fully paid but never constructed. Sen. Bong Go also flagged projects located in uninhabited or non-flood-prone areas, questioning their purpose and allocation of funds.

Involved Parties

The scandal has implicated a broad range of individuals and entities:

• Government Officials: Current and former cabinet members, DPWH undersecretaries and district engineers, senators, and congressmen from multiple districts and party lists.

• Contractors: Firms like QM Builders, Centerways Construction, and companies linked to the Discaya family have been named, alongside others cited for irregular bidding practices.

• Whistleblowers: Hernandez, the Discayas, and former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo have come forward to testify, with some offering to cooperate as state witnesses.

Responses and Reforms

In response to the revelations, the Senate has taken decisive action to curb corruption. The 2026 budget for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was reduced by PHP 55.91 billion to PHP 568.56 billion, while unprogrammed appropriations—seen as a high-risk fund source—were slashed from PHP 243 billion to PHP 174.5 billion. All DPWH projects now require unique identifiers for full lifecycle tracking.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered mandatory lifestyle checks on all DPWH personnel, following over 9,000 citizen complaints. The Senate blue ribbon committee continues to conduct hearings, issuing subpoenas to absent parties and working with law enforcement to pursue criminal charges where evidence warrants.

Impact on Communities

Beyond financial losses estimated in the billions, the corruption has delayed critical flood control measures in high-risk areas like Metro Manila, Bulacan, and Quezon. With monsoon seasons and typhoons posing annual threats, delayed or substandard projects leave millions of residents vulnerable to displacement, property damage, and loss of life. The scandal has also raised urgent questions about strengthening oversight mechanisms to ensure public funds serve their intended purpose.